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KRASNAYA POLYANA, RUSSIA — Ole Einar Bjoerndalen of Norway became the most decorated Winter Olympian in history on Wednesday when his biathlon team won the first-ever mixed team relay and he secured his 13th medal.

Eight of those medals were gold.

“It’s cool,” the 40-year-old Bjoerndalen said of his accomplishment. “It’s a big thing for me.”

He earned his 11th medal in the 2010 Winter Games, and won his 12th during the Sochi Games when he finished first in the men’s 10-kilometer sprint race at the Laura Cross Country Ski and Biathlon Center.

On that night he said: “I am satisfied now.”

But his team’s victory placed his Olympic medal tally one higher than his compatriot and cross country ski legend Bjorn Daehlie.

U.S. Biathlon Team member Lowell Bailey, whose team finished ninth in the relay, praised Bjoerndalen’s team and his athletic abilities.

“I think it’s an amazing accomplishment,” Bailey said after the race. “He has a great team. He didn’t do it alone. I think it’s an incredible accomplishment. He’s a great athlete, one of the best if not the best.”

Tora Berger and Tiril Eckhoff skied the women’s leg Norway’s mixed relay team, while Bjoerndalen and Emil Hegle Svendsen skied the last two legs and finished with a total time of 1 hour, 9:17 seconds.

The Czech Republic team won silver and were 32.6 seconds behind Norway. Third went to Italy – 58.2 seconds back.

Eckhoff praised her teammate’s skills.

“Amazing,” she said of Bjoerndalen. “He’s the best.”

“I was his friend in my childhood and it’s great to compete with him. He’s still a kid in his head."